Family Ties
by Ame to Yume
Summary: She was an aristocrat heiress, daughter to a very important Vestal official. She had it all. One day, though, everything changed and her entire life was torn apart. Contains OCs. Also, it contains violence, blood, cursing and character death, but not enough to make it M. ZenoheldXOC, OCXOC.
1. Chapter One

**A/N: You know I said I was going to do 'Stronger' as teaser for another story, right? Well, here is the story I was talking about. It's going to be focused on Queen Louise's story, but it's going to be focused also on Vestal culture, traditons, and belief system. Are you with me on this one? OK, then, let's begin!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan. If I did, I wouldn't have to write this fanfic. **

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Family Ties

Chapter One

Alessandra Ikema, the wife of an important Vestal official, lay in a hospital bed, staring at the bundle in her arms. It was a little girl with big, round and innocent lavender eyes.

Alessandra frowned. She was just twenty years old, with her entire life ahead of her. She never asked for a child, but her husband Lawrence seemed to take so much pride and joy in the little girl, and Alessandra loved Lawrence too much to break his heart by telling him she didn't want the child.

"Alessandra?" a cheerful female voice called, pulling the young aristocrat from her thoughts

Alessandra's blue-gray eyes fell on Anna Maria Lagrange, the wife of Lawrence's best friend Michael Lagrange, and a soon to be mother herself.

"So, you're going home today, huh?"

Alessandra hesitated a while before responding.

"Yes." she answered "Lawrence promised he'll come to pick me up."

Anna could feel the tension in the air. This was not looking good. Alessandra was not supposed to be sad. Lawrence and Michael always just smiled and assumed it was a normal thing all mothers go through. It couldn't be, or why would anyone possibly want to give birth?

"What's wrong, girl?" Anna asked, concern taking over her voice

Alessandra didn't look at Anna. Instead, her pitch black bangs shadowed her eyes and she began trembling.

"Nothing's wrong." she said, attempting to convince both Anna and herself

"Listen, if you wanna talk about it, then I..."

"Alessia." a male voice said forcefully

Anna turned around to face the owner of the voice. There stood Lawrence in all his glory, clad in a royal blue suit that showed off his well defined muscles, with thick, silky golden locks that framed his pale face perfectly, and infinite, hypnotic amethyst eyes. Man, Alessandra didn't even know how lucky she was.

Lawrence ignored Anna and walked over to Alessandra. He wrapped an arm around the woman's trembling shoulders, attempting to calm her. He loved everything about his wife, and absolutely could not stand to see her sad.

Alessandra took a few breaths, and calmed down. Starting to cry in front of Lawrence would ruin everything she's worked so hard to build.

* * *

The twenty years-old aristocrat was walking back home, with her daughter in her arms and her husband by her side. She let the autumn wind ruffle her hair as she stepped on the carpet of dry leaves that had piled up on the ground, basking in the feeling of being outside of that hospital at last.

"She's so peaceful." Alessandra said gently, looking at the girl who was sleeping soundly in her arms

"Yeah...until she wakes up and needs something." Lawrence joked, laughing lightly

Alessandra smiled and kissed Lawrence on the cheek. He deserved this one little gesture at the very least, for always trying to make her smile, always looking out for her.

"Oh, you've come back!" a voice called from a distance away

Alessandra looked up and realized she had been too lost in her thoughts to notice she already walked all the way home.

The owner of the voice, Alessandra's mother-in-law Edith Ikema, walked over to the couple. The elderly woman was smiling reassuringly, as though she was silently telling Alessandra she had nothing to be scared of. Edith took the baby from Alessandra's arms, and cradled her in her own.

"Your daughter is so beautiful." she remarked

"That's because she takes after Lawrence." Alessandra joked

"Don't say you aren't beautiful, my child. Because you are."

"Thank you,mother."

"You have nothing to thank me for. I only speak the truth. Come on."

Edith walked inside, followed closely by Lawrence and Alessandra.

"What's her name?" Lawrence's little sister asked, referring to the baby

"Louise Giulia Ikema."

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**That's kinda it for this chapter. Favorites and reviews are appreciated, and constructive criticism is even more appreciated. Flames, however, will be chased by a madman with an axe.**

**Love and Sparkly Stuff,**

**Ame to Yume**


	2. Chapter Two

**Here you have chappie number two, everybody! Expect nothing fantastic, but take your time to read it. Also, leave a review if you feel like it. **

**That aside, I apologize in advance if the next few chapters are going to be kinda dark. I was listening to Distopia by Valluna while writing them. Check it out when (and if) you have time. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bakugan. This story is made only for entertainment purposes, so don't sue me -.-'**

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Chapter Two

Edith lit a candle, placed it on a small alter, and prayed for her niece, wondering why was it that she had to be born is such dark times. The Queen was dying. She had no heirs. The state Edith and her family had worked so hard to build was going to be thrown into chaos once again. Louise would have to live the terrible days of Edith's youth, see the atrocities she had seen. The riots. The anarchy. The blood. The deaths.

Edith shook her head to clear it, shivering at the thought.

_Oh, please...you the bringer of life, goddess Nanmara, please look after my niece...Make sure she is safe...That's all I ask of you. _

Edith wiped the tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes, bowed her head, and left the room. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, biting back her fear, shoving it to the depths of her subconscious. She had to be strong for her family. They depended on her.

"Mother?"

Edith's deep violet eyes fell on Lawrence. The man looked stoic, his expression solemn and distant. It seemed as though he didn't care, but his eyes showed fine traces of concern and worry.

"What are we going to do?" Edith asked, looking in her son's eyes

Lawrence raised his eyebrows.

"What?"

"Queen Amara...she's dying. The state is going to be torn apart once again. Why did Louise have to be born in these dark days?"

"Don't worry, mother. Everything will be alright." Lawrence reassured

"You better be right, Lawrence."

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Queen Amara lay on her bed. Her eyes were wide open and she hadn't slept in days. She knew her time was up, yet refused to admit it. Suddenly, an idea struck her.

"Edith Ikema." she rasped to her maid "Tell her I want her here."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The maid bowed, and silently exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Amara closed her eyes. If she was going to die, then she would die knowing she left Vestal in good hands.

"Amara?"

Hearing Edith's voice, Amara's eyes snapped open. She hesitated a while before responding.

"I am going to...leave this world soon, Edith. Sadly, I have no one to carry on my legacy, so...I'm afraid that after my death, the state will be thrown into chaos. The riots and the anarchy will begin all over again. You are my old friend, and I know you will not let all my work come undone." here Amara paused, smiling sadly. "We are too old to rule this planet, but...Lawrence is a good boy. I know that he'll do just fine."

"Are you sure he will..."

"He can do this, I'm sure. He...just needs to be careful..."

The light of life left the elderly queen's eyes. Her head fell to the side, inert. She was gone, and nothing was going to bring her back.

"Goodbye, old friend..."

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Edith walked back home, deep in thought. Would Lawrence be able to take the horrendously difficult task Amara wanted him to accomplish? Lawrence was a twenty-four years old man, sure, but he was just a child in her eyes.

Edith bit her lip, wondering how to tell her family, but most of all, how to tell Lawrence...

"Mother!" Lawrence's sister Myriam shouted from a distance away

Myriam put the bowl she was holding on a table and ran towards her mother. The girl skidded to a stop, and eyed Edith carefully.

"What's wrong, mother?"

"Myriam." Edith said forcefully "Gather everyone in the living room. I want to talk to them."

"Alright."

Myriam quickly bowed her head, and ran off to find the others.

"Lawrence! Big sister! Auntie! Where are you guys?"

Edith took a few deep breaths, preparing herself.

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**That was it for this chapter, everybody. Also, if you're wondering about Vestal religion, it's going to be based mainly on Hinduism (look it up). Never mind me, I'm watching too much Indian soap operas, such as Pavitra Rishta, Balika Vadhu and Dya Aur Baati Hum.  
**

**Love and Puppies,**

**Ame to Yume**


	3. Chapter Three

**I've been trying to update other stories, but this one just wouldn't leave my head, so I had to do it first. Sorry if it seems weird in places, I could feel my sanity leaking out my ears while I was writing. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Bakugan, this would've happened onscreen. It doesn't, so I don't own Bakugan. **

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Chapter Three

"Mother?" Alessandra asked, pulling the elderly woman from her thoughts

"We're here. What happened?" Lawrence asked, evident concern taking over his voice

"Sit down." Edith replied in the commanding voice she rarely took, and Lawrence rarely ever listened to

Alessandra, Lawrence, Myriam and Aunt Marissa, the wife of Lawrence's deceased older brother, all obeyed, sitting down at the table and waiting for Edith to speak. Edith took a breath to calm herself, and began telling them the news.

"As you all know, Queen Amara had a very grave illness. Unfortunately, it brought her down today."

Alessandra gasped in shock.

"Do you mean she's dead?"

"Yes." Edith admitted "As I think you know, she had no heirs. Upon her death, the Vestal state would be thrown into chaos and the fight to unify it would begin all over again. To prevent that from happening, Amara bestowed the power to someone else."

"Who is it?" Lawrence asked

Edith narrowed her eyes minutely, not exactly angry.

"You."

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It was two o' clock in the morning, but Lawrence still hadn't closed his violet eyes to rest. He lay awake, staring blankly at the ceiling, thinking about what his mother told him the day before.

"Darling? You're awake?" Alessandra asked

"Of course not." he joked "You're talking to a zombie right now. Of course I'm awake, damn it!"

Alessandra could feel Lawrence's pain, even though he didn't tell her what was bothering him. She ran her fingers though his soft blonde hair, and it seemed to calm him a bit. Or maybe she was just deluding herself because she wanted so badly to help. Probably the latter.

The man groaned in frustration. What was he going to do? How could he accomplish the task Amara gave him? Most importantly, would he be able to abandon his responsibilities as a father to do that?

"I'm sorry, Alessia. I'm so sorry..."

Lawrence closed his eyes shut. His breath had become ragged and quick. He could feel tears start to form, and he was close to losing it.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Lawrence. Stop speaking nonsense."

"Louise...I love her so much, and I don't want her to suffer because of me."

"We have plenty of time to worry about that. Louise is still a newborn baby. Right now, we must make sure this girl has a future."

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**This one's done too. Thank you for reading, and don't forget: the review button likes to be clicked. **

**Love and Plushies,**

**Ame to Yume**


	4. Chapter Four

**Now that I've explained some stuff that would've otherwise been an enigma, I'm going to get to the point of this story. For this, I had to do a sixteen years timeskip to the moment when Louise graduates from school, because that's when the story should've actually begun. **

**Disclaimer: No, I still do not own Bakugan. All I own is a crazy imagination. **

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Chapter Four

Sixteen years have passed ever since the cloudy autumn day when Louise Ikema was born. During these years, she had grown into a very beautiful young woman, with long blonde hair and daunting violet eyes.

She was a very bright child in school. She was full of wit, cheerful, outgoing and optimistic, and she loved her family and friends greatly.

That day, Louise and her classmates were graduating from school. They were excited, but also nervous at the thought.

"Are you ready, everyone?" red-haired Ellen Lagrange, daughter to Anna and Michael Lagrange, asked cheerfuly

"Ready for what?" white-haired Sumire Yanagida asked, raising an eyebrow

"They're holding the graduation ceremony today." brunette Karen Ross explained

"I'm gonna miss you guys." bluenette Renee Davis intervened

Sumire's blood red eyes were taken over by a look of sadness she didn't allow many to see.

"I'm gonna miss you too, you lovely people." she answered

"Will you two shut up?" Eric Holt, Louise's unofficial boyfriend, inquired "It's not the end of the world, and I'm sure no one will die today."

An evil idea flashed in Ellen's mind.

"So, Eric, Lou, when's your date?" she asked, her bright blue eyes bearing a sly look

Louise shot her a glare.

"Sometime after we finish dooming you." she answered "Anyways, we better get going."

"What, afraid you're going to be late for all those lame and boring speeches? I say you stay here and enjoy some time with your friends." Sumire suggested

"OK, then."

* * *

Ever since he could remember, Zenoheld had been part of the Royal Guard. His job now was to watch Louise Ikema, to make sure nothing happened to her.

She was so much younger than him, but he wanted to be with her. Even so, she was that one thing he could not reach. It wasn't like all those years ago when the Ikemas were just serving the Queen. Now, Lawrence Ikema was the new ruler of Vestal, and he made sure Zenoheld couldn't get near Louise. Not in the way he wanted, at least.

The young man sighed sadly. Why was life always so unfair?

"Hey!" a voice called

Zenoheld didn't even have to look to know who the voice belonged to.

"What's with the long face?" Louise asked, sitting beside him

He couldn't tell her what he wanted, could he? She already had someone else. Zenoheld hated the way Louise looked at Eric, a look of pure love and adoration he would never see. The thought of that pesky Eric and Princess Louise together made his heart throb with a sort of fierce, sharp pain.

Love was a cruel device.

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**Another one is done. Loved it? Hated it? Had no opinion of it? Tell me what you think in a review. Also, I'm sorry the last part was kinda rushed, but for some reason, I hate writing about Zenoheld.**

**Love and Kitties,**

**Ame to Yume**


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